If you hang around writers long enough, you'll hear comments like: the cover gods were smiling on you or I'm praying to the cover gods or even the cover gods have it in for me. This only makes sense if you know that most authors have no control over their covers.
It's true. The cover process from the author's side of the fence goes something like this: Fill out a form with information that conveys what the hero and heroine look like, what kind of clothes they wear, and the locations where some of the scenes take place. We're also supposed to include a brief blurb of what the story is about. Once that's turned in, we start our prayers because odds are we won't see or hear anything more until the cover is finished.
I think it's safe to say that all authors want a cover that captures a reader's attention. For me personally, I also like the cover to convey the tone of the book (action/adventure/suspense) and I'd like it if the people on the cover would actually bear some resemblance to how I envision my hero and heroine. I've only had that third thing happen once. On the cover of Through a Crimson Veil, the models actually almost look like Mika and Conor. Almost.
I dream of having more input on my cover some day, of being asked what I think. I don't have the art background and I wouldn't interfere too much, but I would like to be able to say, hey, I don't think this concept conveys the tone of the story if that's the case and be in time to get changes made so it does match my book.
But alas, I don't have any say in my covers. So in the meantime, I continue to light my candles and offer up promises to the cover gods. If you want to light a few candles on my behalf, I'd appreciate it because I have a new cover in the works for Edge of Dawn, my July 2009 release, and I'll see it done and finished in December.
